Is it Too Late to Say 'I Love You'
by Shugo Chara
Summary: Ah, Team Yondaime .. what fun they had .. before everything went .. wrong.


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**Chapter One: Obito.**

_This story is not owned by me. Copyright Masashi Kishimoto 1999 publisher Viz Media & Shonen Jump. Produced for your entertainment by Shugo Chara. Based on Kakashi Gaiden in Naruto Shippuden. Enjoy. (:_

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"See? SEE?!" a loud, raven-haired boy protested, pointing an accusing finger to a round, neatly-cut hedge in the center of the Konoha Memorial Park. "I don't see anything .." a steady, calm-voiced boy with silver hair replied. "It was behind the bush, I swear !" Uchiha Obito yelled in defiance. Hatake Kakashi made his way to the prickly shrub. Carefully avoiding the unwelcoming thorns, he checked the bush. When there was no sign of life there at all, he turned around to face his comrade and in a mocking tone said, "Ba-ka." Obito crossed his arms and looked away, clearly unhappy about being proved wrong AGAIN by the son of 'White Fang'.

Noticing his embarrassment/anger, Rin, the female of the group and medical ninja of the cell said, "Umn, maybe it was your imagination? .."she tilted her head and gave a nervous smile., knowing conflict was about to take place. "Rin .. it wasn't my imagin--!" Obito began but was rudely interrupted by Kakashi. "Shh. I hear something." He craned his neck. "Stay here." he gave an acknowledging nod to his teammates before turning his back and disappearing amongst the trees. Obito sighed and sat down, his back against a tree. Rin smoothened out her skirt, and sat down also. They were quiet for a while.

"Rin," Obito finally broke their uneasy silence. "Do you sometimes think that Kakashi takes us for granted?" he asked. "Mn, it's not like he doesn't need us, Obi. You know Kakashi-kun .. always sullen-looking and .."

"Self-centered?"

"I wasn't going to say that."

"Apathetic? Awkward? Antisocial? Expressionless? Gloomy? Ill-humored?"

Rin looked at Obito. Their eyes met for a split second, roundish chocolate ones with a dark sepia tinge, and sleek black ones that caught you in an endless gaze if you looked too deeply into his soft pupils. After that, they both started to laugh at the same time. Obito suddenly began to feel a connection with Rin. He felt closer, somehow ..

"Whuah. Who ever thought that this mission would be so hard?" she said, her face still blushed from laughing, eyes sparkling. "Yeahh. Especially on our first !" the laughing continued. Suddenly crunching noises were heard. Kakashi's shoes stepped noisily on the crisp autumn leaves. And then out popped Kakashi from the trees, with a cat cradled in his arms. "Mrowr." The cat meowed. Rin immediately got up. "Nicely done, Kakashi-kun .." she stroked the cat's greasy fur. "So she belongs to the Cloud Village Hokage's wife?" she questioned. Kakashi ignored her question completely.

"Get off of the ground, you oaf. We still have yet to turn this bag of fleas in." he turned his attention toward a sleepy Obito.

"Ffffft" the cat hissed and dug its nails into Kakashi's chest. "Ahwh!" Kakashi released his grip on the cat and it landed on its feet. "Gahhh it's getting away!" Kakashi hollered. "It's okay Kakashiyou're hurt!" She yanked down Kakashi's collar to show him a few scratches and reveal and bloodstain. "Whatever!" he barked. She touched his marks and he yelped. "That's whatever." She said. He sat down in defeat as Rin put some alcohol. Meanwhile, Obito was laughing. "Don't just laugh, dunce! Go after it!" an irritated Kakashi shouted. Obito halted his laughter and winked and gave a thumbs-up. "Here I go!" he chased after the cat into the thicket. _This one's for you, Rin. 3_

As soon as Obito made his way out of the thicket, he stumbled and tripped over a fallen branch. "Ugh." He shielded his face in case of any broken glass on the ground. He got up, still in pursue of the feline.

"Ugh .. not so hard !" Kakashi winced. "I'm doing it as softly as I can, Kakashi-kun." Rin responded. "…" Kakashi looked away. _This is awkward. Rin .. touching me. _"Do you think he'll be okay?" she asked. "Who? Obito?" Kakashi twitched as she bandaged him. Rin nodded. "I'm sure that dobe's fine .." he closed his eyes. Silence.

"Ahah !" Obito leapt into the air and landed with a thunk on yet ANOTHER branch. "Damn, I thought it was the cat .." Suddenly, Obito heard a meow. He looked up and saw the cat on top of a tree, shaking nervously. "Awh .. it's stuck." Obito said. "MAN, I forgot the climbing tree tips sensei gave me .." He scratched the back of his head. "Oh well. Ill just kick the tree." Obito swung his foot and gave his mightiest kick. The tree shook and the cat flew out of it. "OWOWOWOWOWH." Obito grabbed his foot, holding back tears. "Ohmanohmanohman." He looked around trying too see where the cat landed. He walked a few steps more until he heard a shift. He quickly hid behind a tree and peered over. The cat was sitting down calmly, licking its paws & grooming itself rather majestically. _I got you now… _Obito chuckled.

Rin secured the bandage in place with a pin, and then handed Kakashi his shirt. He slipped it on so quickly that Rin couldn't help but laugh. "What?" he sounded irritated, a slight change of colour in his skin. "That damn cat." He grimaced. With that being said, Kakashi got up without a word of thanks. Obito slowly made his way to the cat, inch by inch. Its back was turned to him, still grooming itself. Only feet away now, Obito drew closer--_crack. _Only to step on a twig. The cat looked back, hissed and disappeared at the speed of light. "Baka neko!" Obito yelled as he ferociously chased the cat, fire burning in his eyes.

"Ahahahahahh" he laughed rather abnormally, and ran so superhumanly fast that it wasn't even possible for Wilma Rudolph to run so.

Not in mind to lose sight of the cat, Obito took a mighty leap and thrust himself onto the cat. It just barely escaped and slipped through his fingers once again. "OH YOU DON'T." he reached his hand out, grasped the cat's tail firmly in his hand, and yanked it back. "MROWRH!" it meowed loudly and was pulled back. With a triumphant smirk, Obito held the cat by the scruff of its neck and began to head back. Time passed by, and Obito realized that he was going in complete circles. "What the-?" he exclaimed as he passed the same drooping Weeping Willow for the 4th time.

"HELP!" he hopelessly flailed his unoccupied arm in panic. He was so loud, every bird flew out of the tree with a caw and a flap. Obito seated himself on the cold ground, grateful for having such a loud, bold voice. Minutes later, Kakashi and Rin appeared out from some evergreens. "Ohh, Obi," Rin gasped as she saw sight of the clunky orange-visored boy sitting calmly on the ground with a rather cross and grumpy feline. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. "Yeah, fine." He replied. "My arms are just a little sore, though." He admitted.

"Oh well then let me take that cat out from the crook of your arm." The moment Rin freed Obito from the cat, he fell back as a tired gesture. Rin cleared as much space in her medical bag as possible to store the cat in. "I can't feel my arms." He moaned. Kakashi, finally speaking up, said, "Rule #34. A shinobi never complains." He stated. Obito just gave him a how-much-more-low-can-you-get? look. "Shut up," Obito's face darkened. "Well come on then," Rin changed the subject. "Sensei said that he would treat us to some food if we came back before sundown."

"Doesn't matter anyway. Can't go." Kakashi said. Obito's eyes widened in disbelief, and a goofy grin spread on his face. _That means it will just be me and Rin! Like .. on a date! _He thought, completely forgetting about his sensei. "What's the stupid grin for?" Kakashi broke Obito's hormonal thoughts. Obito ignored Kakashi and instead turned to Rin. "Rin, will you be so kind as to help me up?" he said rather gentleman-like. "Uhh, sure." Rin crouched down, swung Obito's arm over her neck, and picked him up. _Heh heh heh, _Inner Obito laughed cruelly as he turned around to see a lonely Kakashi walking behind them quietly.

They managed to return back to Central Konoha before sundown. The moment they entered the Hokage's office, their sensei, Uzumaki Minato congratulated them. "Well done, well done!" he applauded as Rin took out that exhausted cat from the bag. **(AN: Lol, the cat's out of the bag!)** "Enough praise. LET'S EAT!" Obito exhibited an 'OMNOMNOMNOM' face. "Sure thing, kid." Minato ruffled up Obito's spiky hair. They all exited the Office and got some fresh air. "Hey, where's Kakashi?" Rin noticed that he was gone. Minato started laughing and thought aloud, "That kid! I swear, I never notice him leave."

"SO, where are you gonna treat us, sensei?" asked Obito concerned about his hunger than the whereabouts of his comrade. "Hm, well .. there's a new ramen shop that opened on third street, so maybe we can--," he began but was cut off by Rin saying, "Where did Obito go?". "Huh?" Minato looked left, right then laughed. "C'mon, Rin, sensei! Whuduhryouwaitingfor?" yelled a happy, eager Obito from 50 feet away. "That's not even the right direction, Obito!" Minato yelled back. Obito raced back quicker than you could say, "It's this way!". Rin laughed, and caught up with him. "Woo-hoo!" Obito punched the air and joy-jumped.

He started to run, and faded off into the distance. "How come he doesn't run this fast in hot pursuit practice?" Minato chuckled. "Hey, wait up!" Rin called after him, occasionally stopping to catch her breath. She also disappeared into the horizon. Minato followed rather unhappily, clutching his soon-to-be empty wallet to his chest. A switch of perception, and we see Kakashi lying against a nearby tree; eyes closed and arms crossed. After a few complex hand signs, he teleported off.

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_Do your part._

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